You always hear stories of people learning new languages who unknowingly use the wrong word, which just happens to be a really wrong word, an embarrassing word. Well, thankfully I haven’t yet had an experience like that…unless you count the times I’ve used dolor (to have pain) instead of dolar (dollar $). This faux pas usually gets a few laughs.

Learning a new language is full of risks like that, not only misusing a word, but also misinterpreting the words of others and thus choosing the wrong course of action based on the misinterpretation. My work in the Panederia gives me numerous opportunities to make this kind of mistake. Just this week, Maestra Sandra asked me to put together the ingredients for Torta de Chocolate (chocolate cake). I listened intently to her instructions and watched as she drug her finger down the recipe. I did notice that I was supposed to put the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another, but I inadvertently passed over the word “cernir” above the dry ingredients. Somehow I thought I understood what she meant. I just assumed the word “cernir” must just be a way of telling me to keep these things separate from the liquid ones.

I kept filling the bowls and painstakingly dragging my finger down the recipe, making sure not to leave out anything. It’s a bit unnerving to know that one misstep could ruin the whole batch, the whole batch being a huge, institutional-size sheet cake. Well, after the wet ingredients spent their time being whipped in the mixer, Maestra took the batter out and spread it on the pan. She commented on its dryness and asked me to put in more water. My heart beat a bit faster. I hadn’t left anything out had I? The next batch had the same problem despite the additional water. That’s when the word “cernir” came up again.

“Crissy, todas ingredientes estan cernido, no?” My mind struggled to figure out what that word meant. Had I done it? I must not have. “No, Maestra.” She added the additional hand motions that finally clued me in to that mystery word. Sifted. Oh, no, I was supposed to sift all the dry ingredients! I took a look at the batter Maestra was spreading over the pan. It was full of lumps, dry lumps.

She said it would be ok. She is always nice and understanding. But I felt bad for the house that was going to get to eat lumps of cocoa and baking powder for breakfast. At least there were four more cakes to make. These ones would be “cernido.”

Because of this experience and the wonderful example of a friend’s blog, I’m going to try to add new words I learn to my blog. Maybe an additional writing will help to engrave them in my mind. I really don’t want to waste more flour and butter than I need to. Well, I wouldn’t really mind forgetting to add in the shortening and margarine. El Salvador hasn’t decided to join New York City and San Francisco in banning trans fat.

Cernir – to sift

Tijeras – scissors

Pista – music without words, a soundtrack

Entregar – to hand in or out

Enfrentar – to face something

Apartar – to separate

Now with this new addition to my postings, I would appreciate anyone’s corrections. I won’t always base my entries on dictionary renderings, but simply what I think I hear and understand.